Depression. What does that mean for us as believers? What is depression, anyway? Haven't people always been sad? Isn't that what perseverance and the joy of the Lord are intended to overcome?
Depression is not simply extreme sadness. Often depression is triggered by specific tragic or traumatic events, but not always. In short, God has created the coolest most intricate systems for healthy functionality in our bodies. He applies the laws of his physical universe to each of these delicate systems- for instance, that of inertia; your body works to reestablish rhythm and "normalcy" quickly, sometimes accidentally establishing a new "normal" that needs fixing. This is why medicines like Immodium are so useful. One of the biggest systems is that of hormones, or natural chemicals throughout the body. In the brain, hormones work together to produce emotional responses to information we take in- we see someone we love, hear their news, our brain connects that it's good news, chemicals are released in response, and we feel happiness- all in milliseconds! How awesome is God's design? But, like any other system of the body, sometimes things get thrown off- disrupted. With depression, our brain can get caught reacting to something negative, either by making us feel sad or coping by making us feel numb, and inertia sets in- the record skips. Our brain forgets how to acknowledge and receive the hormones that "snap us out of it," change our mood- make us happy. The rhythm of our chemical pendulum is knocked off course.
Like any other injury or illness, Christians should respond biblically to depression as any other physical malady. We pray for healing- and as with anything else, God may say yes, or no, and we may struggle to understand why. We can seek help from experts who can apply God-given wisdom about our brains and bodies to help us heal (sometimes with medication). We can use Scripture to keep our focus on the Lord and off our suffering. Most of all, we can love one another, caring for those we know who are suffering depression with patience, encouragement, and understanding.
